Trying to determine if your workouts are effective can be a difficult task. One way to measure the effectiveness of your workouts is to monitor your heart rate during your workout. Increasing your heart rate to a certain rate will help you burn fat or calories. Your goals will determine the heart rate zone that you should work in.
Zones
According to Brian Mac Sports Coach, there are three main heart rate zones for exercising: the fat burning zone, or 60 percent to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate; the aerobic zone, which increases your cardiovascular capacity, or 70 percent to 80 percent of your maximum; and the anaerobic zone, which develops your lactic acid system, or 80 percent to 90 percent of your maximum. Your maximum heart rate is determined by multiplying your age by .85 and subtracting that number from 217.
Monitoring
You can monitor your heart rate during your workout to ensure that you stay within the desired zone. Many treadmills and elliptical machines have heart rate monitors that you can hold while you exercise. These may be dangerous, as you could fall off the equipment while trying to measure your rate. A more reliable source is a strapless heart rate monitor, which you wear across your chest while you exercise.
Intensity
Achieving the desired heart rate is a result of the intensity of your workout. The fat burning zone can be achieved with steady-state exercise such as jogging or using an elliptical for 30 minutes per session. According to What's Cooking America, a higher intensity workout will burn more calories in a shorter time. Higher intensity workouts involve a higher level of effort in a short bursts, such as intervals or circuits.
Tabata
The Tabata Protocol, named for Dr. Tabata who created the method, involves four minutes of exercise broken up into 20 seconds of work with 10 seconds of rest for eight sets. You can sprint on an exercise bike or elliptical for these workouts. According to Tabata Protocol, this type of work will not only raise your heartbeat to maximum levels, but will burn more fat than other methods as well. Be sure to consult a physician before beginning these types of workouts.
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